Hogwarts and the Year I Did Everything Wrong
by Kallimay
Summary: Hogwarts AU of OC's. Anya Skelton is leaving her home in the US to attend Hogwarts. She meets some friends, breaks some rules, and manages to mess everything up. Note to Self: Don't be such a screw up. A whirlwind of adventure seems to follow her and her friends around, and not of their own accord. House rivalry, rogue spells, magical mischief, and more! T for later.
1. Don't Piss off the Older Kids

**Disclaimer:** Everything belongs to the JKR except my OC's. But hey she can have those too if she really wants them.

**A/N:** Welcome to my first fanfic! This is a Hogwarts AU full of OC's. Basically the stories of Harry Potter are actually like wizarding folk lore, so like the details about the castle and everything are right, but the characters are mostly different since the stories of Harry Potter happened (if they happened) like hundreds of years ago. At least that's how I envision it. A lot of the wizard kids don't even know that JKR has published the Harry Potter series.

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Note to Self: Don't piss off the older kids.

I left my family at the airport back in St. Louis. It wasn't too long or too sappy, just a few tight hugs was all I needed to let them know I would be missing them while I was at Hogwarts.

"Bye Anya!" my brother Wyatt called after me as I boarded. I waved all the way until he was out of sight.

A plump, graying old witch named Hilda Blackwell met me when my plane touched down. She had been nice enough to volunteer to take care of me until I could board the Hogwarts Express the next day. After stopping for some ice cream, we went shopping in Diagon Alley for everything I would need. She kept asking what it was like to be a young American wizard flown all the way across the pond to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She said she was stunned I'd gotten in; apparently there were competent wizarding schools back in the States. And wow, she said, I would have a hard time fitting in. Thanks for the boost of confidence Hilda.

I said I didn't know why or how, just that my dad had gone to Hogwarts so that's where I was headed, following in his footsteps and all. _Yes_, I knew about the house system at Hogwarts. _No_, I had never been to Britain before. _Yes_, I already had my wand. That one left her astonished; she didn't even believe me until I pulled it out of my backpack. Alder with phoenix feather core, eleven inches, slightly springy. This set off a whole nother round of inquiries. I swear, this witch could not give me one second of silence. I guess I really shouldn't complain, I mean she was nice enough to show me around, take me shopping.

With all my books bought, my robes folded up in my bag, and my wand tucked firmly into my back pocket, Hilda put me up for the night in the Leaky Cauldron, promising to be back bright and early to take me to King's Cross.

As she promised, Hilda was back, and chatting all the way to the station. I didn't get a word in edgewise until she positioned me with my cart 10 paces from the wall between platforms 9 and 10. "Now go ahead and take your run," she said.

"_What_? Are you kidding me?"

She looked at me confusedly. "I- I thought you knew… Platform 9 ¾ is right through here."

I just stared at the solid brick wall. There was no way. Was there? "Can you prove it?" I asked, only curiosity in my voice.

Hilda, a little put off at my reaction, simply reached back and pushed her hand through the wall, all the way up to her elbow, then quickly wrenching it out when a crowd of Muggles passed.

I nodded nervously. "Oh, uh, alright." I started pushing forward tentatively, inching toward the wall, ready to slide through.

Hilda stopped me. "No, no, no. You have to take a run at it. My magic is very pronounced, so I can put my hand through no problem. But you," she smiled and put her hand on my cheek, "you little wizard, are not strong enough. Back up and take a running start."

I nodded, backed up, and began mentally preparing myself to run full-out at a brick wall. _This is mental_. Right as I was about to plunge into another world, I sneaked a glance at Hilda. She was gazing at me happily, a proud glint in her eyes. "Uh, thanks, Hilda," I said. She beamed. "I really appreciate everything you've done for me."

For once, the portly witch was at a loss for words, so she just nodded as I ran hard as I could at the wall, still convinced this was mental. What if the wall didn't let me through? I would probably break my face on the bricks, send my stuff everywhere, and look insane. I shut my eyes at the last second, bracing for the worst.

The worst was apparently slamming into another person's cart on the other side, sending both of our stuff flying.

"WHAT THE HECK?" shrieked a girl's voice. I assumed it was the owner of the cart. A tall girl, probably a fourth or fifth year, whipped around to glower at me like I'd just murdered a baby squirrel or something. Raven black hair hung violently straight to just above her elbows and her skin was pale and fragile-looking, like she never went outside. Her eyes however, told me she was far from fragile, and she could beat me up any time she pleased. "What is your PROBLEM?"

I'm really not such a great talker while being screamed at by strangers who look like they want to rip my throat out. And geez, with her burly biceps and wide shoulders, she probably could if she wanted to. "I-I'm sorry. It was an a-accident."

My stuttering apparently only annoyed her more. Her dark eyes flashed as she looked down her nose at me. "Well? Pick them up." She gestured to her random items strewn about, probably knocked out of her knapsack in my stupidity.

Inwardly I rolled my eyes, but outwardly I stooped to gather up her stuff. Apparently even witches read pointless vapid magazines. With her trunk firmly back on her cart, I stood and presented her with her stack of stupid magazines and a leather-bound book I had the feeling was a cheesy diary. _Dear Diary, today I made a first-year cry when I kicked his puppy and I didn't even have to go out in the sun to do it! What a wonderful day._

"Here," I said, not without a little resentment.

She smirked and knocked the things back out of my hands, scattering them once more around the platform. "Pick. Them. Up," she snarled again.

I stared, confused. "Why'd you do that?"

"I-It was an accident." Was she mocking me?

My anxiousness was quickly being replaced by exasperation with this chick. Who did she think she was? Right when I thought we would have a problem, another girl emerged from behind the first, this one closer to my age and kinder looking. She stooped down, gathered up the stuff, and set it neatly on top of the older girl's trunk. "There you go, Sara," she said, smiling sweetly. "No harm done."

Sara just made a face and stalked off with her cart, her thin black hair swinging behind her. The younger girl turned back to me, and I got a better look at her. She was about my size, with hair and eyes the same color as Sara. However, her hair was longer and messier, with soft curls. Her eyes were also much warmer and weren't trying to melt a hole in me. Her face was similar to the other girl's, but not quite as angular. They actually looked like they could be sisters.

"I'm Mariah Kniffen," the girl said, sticking out her hand. "Sorry about my sister." Boom, I was right. "She's always cranky on the first day, but it was even worse this morning because Harley accidentally made her cereal explode." She giggled and I smiled back, wondering if I was supposed to know who Harley was.

"I'm Anya Skelton. I really didn't mean to run into her like that, it's just my first time through that weird wall thing."

He eyes widened as I spoke. "Are you American?"

"Yeah, I-"

But she cut me off. "Oh that is _so_ cool. You'll have to tell me everything about America!"

"Sure," I said, and started to gather up my stuff. I didn't have a lot, just my trunk and a backpack with my robes and some money in it.

Mariah stooped down to help me gather up my odds and ends and right my trunk on the cart. "Oi," she gasped. "This thing's heavy. How're you gonna load it up? Your dad here?"

I shook my head. "My family is back in the US, I'm here on my own. I, uh, kind of don't know what I'm doing," I added sheepishly.

Mariah grinned at me and started rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. "Can I be like your mentor then?" she asked quietly, like it was an extremely important question. I could tell she was trying to be serious, but her grin stretched from ear to ear and her eyes were practically popping out of her head.

I grinned back; it was contagious. "I would love a mentor," I whispered back. "Since I obviously do everything wrong when left by myself."

She grabbed my arm and _literally_ jumped for joy. "Yay! I have a cute little mentee!" She went to pinch my cheeks, but I playfully swatted her hands away. This girl was so friendly and easy-going, it was hard not to feel like we were already good friends. "First things first," she said, taking on a business tone, "we need to get that trunk put away, and you and me will not be able to do it. Come with me." I grabbed my cart and we set off through the crowd, Mariah weaving and ducking expertly. I could hardly keep up. When she finally stopped, I just about ran into the back of her.

Standing on my tiptoes to peer around my trunk, I could see that we were next to the train, where kids were loading their trunks into a side compartment of the train. Mariah turned and winked at me and then walked over to a tall, muscular-looking blonde boy who had just tossed his trunk in like it was nothing. "Umm, excuse me?" She looked up at with big innocent eyes, and her voice dripped with sweetness. "Can you help us load my friend's trunk? It's _awfully_ heavy."

The boy, who was good-looking by the way, broke into a grin. "Of course." He ambled over to me and it was all I could do to smile at him instead of squeaking awkwardly. He was _very_ handsome, and he had that older-boy sort of charm about him. "So," he said, hoisting my trunk up with a grunt, "you girls first-years?"

"Yep," Mariah chirped. I nodded.

"You'll love it. I'm a fifth year. Name's Kolton."

"I'm Mariah."

"Anya."

Kolton tossed my trunk in and brushed off his hands. "Well, see you two around." With a dip of his head and another dazzling smile, the boy turned and sauntered back through the crowd.

As I stared, Mariah sidled up next to me and pretended to faint against my side. "Wow, what a hunk," she sighed. I shot her a wry smile. "What? Everyone has to have a babysitter crush."

I scrunched my nose. "Babysitter crush?"

"You know," she said, waving her hand in his direction, "that handsome boy way too old that'll never happen but you fawn over him anyway?" She sighed dreamily again. "I think I found mine."

I rolled my eyes and shoved her shoulder playfully, just as the train whistle sounded.

She shook her head, and grabbed my arm calling, "That's our cue!" as she began dragging me toward the train. Merlin help me.

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**A/N:** Sooo? Did anyone like it? I know it's not that action packed but I hope you liked it anyway. More action will come later.


	2. First Years Take the Boats

**Disclaimer:** JKR owns the whole Wizarding World.

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Note to Self: First years take the boats.

The only compartment open was one near the end of the train. I barely managed to convince Mariah that we could _not_ saunter in and sit with the handsome blonde boy and his fifth year friends. Instead, we plopped down in our own compartment and spread out along the plush benches.

Mariah was laying on her back, telling me about some of Sara's cute friends she had gotten to meet over the years, when someone knocked and stuck their head in.

"Oi, Mariah, can I sit with you? I dunno where Quentin ran off to." The boy at the door had thick, shaggy black hair same shade and texture as Mariah. Was this another Kniffen?

Mariah nodded and waved her hand. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, bro, whatever. So anyway, Anya, _one_ time…" And she was off, talking much faster than I thought possible.

The Kniffen boy smirked at his sister and rolled his eyes, swinging the door the rest of the way open. Mariah kept on talking as he strolled in, his eyes roving the compartment until he started at the sight of me sitting there. Evidently he hadn't noticed me earlier. I gave him an awkward smile as he turned his head slightly. "Mariah?"

"And he was so cute! Oh- uh, yeah Harls?" She sounded a bit annoyed at being interrupted.

"You have a friend." He spoke much slower and more deliberately than his sister.

"Yes and you have a face, can we move on now?"

I snickered and he gave me a look that said, _Can you believe her_?

"Anyway, I was saying, I couldn't believe this boy was with _Sara_ of all people so—"

"Mariah," the boy interrupted again.

"_What_?"

"Who is your friend?"

"Oh," she said, finally understanding why he was still standing in the center of the compartment. "Harley, my mentee Anya. Anya, my uglier twin Harley." Harley shot her a look. She beamed back at him, unruffled.

Ah, so this was the Harley that exploded Mariah's sister's cereal this morning. He didn't look so klutzy, with his confident smile and the same broad shoulders as his older sister.

"Hey." He nodded and sat next to me, since his sister was taking up the whole other side of the compartment.

"Uh, hey."

He cocked his head to the side. "Accent?"

Before I could answer, Mariah squealed from across the compartment, "She's from America!"

"Wicked," he breathed.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I didn't like Mariah answering my questions for me. "Yeah, uh, my dad went to Hogwarts though, and he really wanted me to go here."

"Really? What house was he in?" asked Harley.

"Hufflepuff."

"And your mum?"

"Muggle."

He nodded. "So have you been raised in the Muggle world? Or the wizarding one?"

"My dad kind of left the wizarding world behind for my mom. So, I know almost nothing about it. Especially in Britain."

Mariah squealed. "He left his whole life behind for your mum? That's so adorable! Isn't that so sweet, Harls?"

Harley sat back in his seat blew his hair off his forehead. "Adorable," he answered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Just then, the candy trolley came around. Harley and Mariah shelled out enough to split a bag of Bertie Botts Beans and have a chocolate frog each. "Anya?" Mariah asked, turning to me.

I shook my head. It wasn't that I didn't want candy, I did. I just had no money on me.

"Oh come on. I know you want some." Mariah waved around her chocolate frog and grinned at me.

I shrugged and turned out my pockets. "I've got no green." She looked at me funny a moment before I fixed myself. "No money. Or else I would."

Mariah shot her twin a look that was almost imperceptible. Almost. Harley sighed and reached into his pocket. "No, no, really it's fine, you don't have to," I tried to say, but he had already bought a third chocolate frog and the trolley lady was off.

"Catch." Harley smirked and tossed the frog over, strolling back over to plop down next to me once again. "It's fine, by the way," he said when I started to protest.

I smiled shyly. "Well, thanks then."

He nodded kindly as Mariah looked back and forth between us, the look on her face a cross between confusion and repulsion. "Are you…_flirting_ with her, Harley?" she asked, eyes on her brother.

A red flush began creeping up the back of his Harley's neck, but he rolled his eyes to try to hide his embarrassment. He scoffed a bit louder than necessary. "Shut it, Mariah."

"Uh, so anyway," I said, breaking the awkward silence that was ensuing. "Where do you guys think you'll be sorted?"

Mariah looked thoughtful. "Well, Sara is in Gryffindor. But I really don't think we are anything alike, so probably not there."

"Yeah and you won't be in Ravenclaw," Harley added. He turned to me and pretended to whisper. "She's not the brightest."

Mariah shot up in her seat and glared at her brother. "I'm plenty smart _actually_."

Her brother rolled his eyes. "Yeah right. You thought Canada was a continent."

"I was nine!" she shrieked. "Will you ever let that go?"

"You also thought that Uncle Wendell was part giant."

She whipped her eyes over to me for this one. "That was an innocent mistake. He's huge."

"Anyway," Harley cut in. "It really does no good to speculate. As long as none of us end up in Slytherin, we'll be fine. Those mates are _nasty_." What was his problem with Slytherin? My dad said he had some good friends in Slytherin. "The Sorting Hat always has surprises up its sleeve, but it won't put you in there if you don't want to be."

"Ha! It doesn't have sleeves! Who's not smart enough to be a Ravenclaw now, huh?" Mariah gave a smug grin and settled back down in her seat.

Harley rolled his eyes and mimed choking his sister, but her eyes were closed, so the threat went unnoticed.

"So what do you want to do?" Mariah asked after a beat. "We've got a long train ride."

"Exploding snap?" Harley offered.

Mariah shook her head. "I don't have the cards."

"Uh, I have cards," I said tentatively. When they looked at me excitedly, I had to add, "Not Exploding Snap cards, just, regular cards. Muggle cards."

Mariah gazed at me curiously. "Muggles have cards too?"

"You guys don't know anything about Muggles do you?"

The both shook their heads.

I sighed and got out my cards, proceeding to show them how to play a variety of Muggle card games, including Go Fish, BS, and Egyptian Ratscrew.

Harley took a special liking to the latter. "Merlin, who knew Muggle games could be so intense," he murmured, not taking his eyes off the ever-growing stack of cards.

Mariah, however, quickly lost interest and went back over to splay herself across the seat opposite us.

A light drizzle started up outside as we played. The clouds were growing ever thicker and darker. I thought I heard a faint roll of thunder from off in the distance. It was definitely going to storm. Halfway through our fourth straight game of Egyptian Ratscrew, a young wizard burst into our compartment, arms flailing.

"Harley! I've been looking everywhere for you mate," he puffed, out of breath. The boy was tall and lanky, with short coppery hair and freckles that dominated his skin. "This third year witch tried to curse me for stepping on the end of her robes. She was barmy." He nearly tripped over his own feet as he stumbled in. I got the feeling he didn't have complete control of his overly long limbs.

Harley ignored his friend until I ended up with the pile, temporarily pausing the game. "What?" he asked, finally looking up.

The redhead boy rolled his eyes and threw himself down next to Harley, making himself comfortable.

"I _said_ there was this third year witch who tried to hex me into next week."

"She should've too," Mariah piped up without looking at the boys. "Merlin knows you deserve a good hexing, Quentin Akers."

Quentin looked offended. "Why Mariah Kniffen, I've no clue what you mean."

She sat up, her black hair even messier than before. "Quentin, you know exactly what I mean. I bet you stepped on that girl's robes on purpose hoping they'd come off."

No answer.

"Pig," Mariah snorted.

Quentin shrugged and looked around, noticing me for the first time. Am I really that invisible? "Hey, I don't know you." Wow he's observant.

"I'm Anya Skelton."

For the third time that day, someone commented on my accent. I swear, if every single person was going to mention it, I was just going to start putting on a fake one.

"America?" he asked.

"China," I answered. He didn't seem to find it as funny as Mariah and Harley did.

"Feisty one, eh?" he said, eyeing me. "I can work with that."

Mariah took off her shoe and chucked it at his head. She barely missed, the shoe clattering harmlessly off the back wall and to the floor. "Bad Quentin. Down. Leave her alone, she's my friend."

He rolled his eyes and tossed the shoe back with better aim than Mariah. "Sod off."

The rest of the train ride went about the same way. Outside, the rain started coming in sheets, drumming heavily on the roof of the train car. By the time we had changed into our robes the sky had taken on a tint of green. Lightning lit up the entire sky while thunder shook me to the bone. It was getting scary.

Once in the station, everybody piled out of the train and made mad dashes to get out of the storm. A rough woman's voice was roaring "FIRST YEARS!" from somewhere, but her voice was whipped around by the wind so much, I couldn't tell where she was. The sky was pitch black and the rain made it hard to see more than a few feet in front of my face. I couldn't even see the lights of the castle. Unable to fight the writhing throng of frantic students around me, I let the masses sweep me away.

Bad idea. Before I knew it, the others were gone and I had no clue where they'd gone.

"Mariah?" I called. I knew they wouldn't be able to get to me, even if they could hear my voice. "Harley? Quentin?"

I was struggling stupidly against the crowd when a large body hip-checked me and sent me sprawling into a muddy puddle. "Oh, sorry mate, here," said a vaguely familiar voice from above my head. Strong arms hoisted me to my feet and started pushing me through the crowd. "This way." I managed to twist uncomfortably around to get a better look at who was helping me. Kolton, the attractive blonde boy who'd helped me load my trunk. Mariah would be jealous.

We came up to a towering carriage with nothing pulling it. The step was high, and I was struggling. I hate being so short. Kolton seemed to notice my dilemma and hoisted me effortlessly up into it. I hate being picked up almost as much as I hate being short. "Wow, you're tiny," he chuckled as he clambered in behind me. Thanks, I hadn't noticed. Two other kids climbed in behind him, about his age, and the carriage began bumping along through the storm.

For the first time Kolton looked over at me and did a double take. "Anya?" he asked tentatively.

I nodded, embarrassed that my robes were all muddy and sopping.

"I thought you were a first year."

"I am."

"Then why are you here?"

Now it was my turn to look confused. "Well, I'm going to Hogwarts. I think," I added.

The girl next to me snickered and I looked over at her. She looked a year or two older than me, with flaming red hair and bright, piercing eyes. A smirk spread across her face as she looked at me. "Are you a muggleborn?"

I shook my head. "Well no, my dad's a wizard. But I grew up in the Muggle world. In St. Louis."

"St. Louis? Isn't that near Cadbury?" The boy across the carriage spoke up from beside Kolton. His blonde hair was spiked up in all directions.

I didn't know where Cadbury was, but I shook my head anyway. "Uh, no, it's in America."

The carriage hit a bump so violently I almost ended up in the redheaded girl's lap. "S-sorry," I stammered, struggling to right myself.

She just snickered again. "So, first year, you a big rule breaker?"

"Am I breaking rules?" I asked stupidly.

She and the blonde boy cracked up laughing, but Kolton shushed them. "Why are you not with the rest of the first years?"

I shrugged. "I kind of lost my friends in the crowd and then I got knocked down and then you helped me to here. Where am I supposed to be?"

"First years are supposed to cross the lake in boats with Madame Wilson. Older kids ride in these carriages."

"Oops."

The two other kids cracked up laughing again. "Can we keep her?" wheezed the redhead girl, pretending to wipe tears from her eyes.

"No, we want her," countered the blonde boy.

I grinned lopsidedly. Even Kolton was smiling now. "Well Anya, if you get sorted into Slytherin, we'll have your back." The girl nodded along.

"Or Ravenclaw," added the blonde boy.

"Thanks," I said, rather shyly. Then something hit me. "Am I missing anything important? Will I get in trouble?"

"Afraid of trouble?" smirked the girl.

"No I'd just rather be prepared with a good excuse."

Kolton nodded. "Smart. I like that. And no, you really aren't missing a lot. Joelle and I will help sneak you up to the platform with the rest of the first years before anyone even notices you're gone." Joelle, the redhead, nodded.

I smiled gratefully and wrapped my robes tighter around me, shivering from the dampness and the chill of the air. Suddenly I realized I was being stupid. I was a witch, wasn't I? I pulled out my wand and performed a simple drying spell. "There." I looked up to find the others staring at me. "What?"

"How'd you do that?" asked the blonde boy.

"Magic?"

Joelle snickered. She seemed to do that a lot.

"First years aren't supposed to know any spells."

I shrugged. "My dad taught me."

Kolton looked at me with grudging respect. "Impressive."

"Thanks."

"No problem." He smiled his dazzling smile that had made Mariah swoon earlier and sat back in his seat. He and the other two began chatting about classes as I gazed out the window. The rain was lightening up as the storm began moving away. Hogwarts castle began floating out of the darkness as we drew nearer. It was even more magnificent than I imagined. Massive towers reached to dizzying heights, so far up I couldn't see the tips. Warm glowing windows shone in welcome. From here I could just make out little shadows struggling across the churning lake. Those must be the rest of the first years, where I was supposed to be. Oh well, I would rather be dry in here than risking falling in the lake out there.

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**A/N**: Wow Anya, you really are pretty clueless aren't you? So any guesses on her house anyone? I know.


End file.
